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Planning commission denies appeal to allow Type 2 short-term rental at 1618 East Adams
Summary
The Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission denied an appeal to allow a Type 2 short-term rental at 1618 East Adams Street after neighbors raised parking, traffic and family-safety concerns and commissioners cited owner absence at the neighborhood meeting and multiple adjacent objections.
The Springfield Planning & Zoning Commission on Jan. 15 denied an appeal to allow a Type 2 short-term rental at 1618 East Adams Street, concluding neighborhood objections and questions about owner responsiveness outweighed the applicant's assurances about property management.
City staff summarized rules for Type 2 short-term rentals — non-owner-occupied properties rented for less than 30 days — and noted a 500-foot separation rule and the right of adjacent property owners to file objections that trigger an appeal to the commission. Staff told the commission four adjacent property owners had submitted letters of objection, which brought the appeal to tonight's hearing.
Christian Deiwert, who said he was representing Anatolia and Andre, told the commission the properties are family-managed, that "we clean all the properties ourselves," and that their other Springfield-area listings receive strong reviews. "We get 5 star reviews, I mean, all around," he said, adding they screen guests and perform maintenance.
Neighbors directly across the street urged denial. Alexander Campbell said he has lived across from the property since May 2019 and told the commission, "I'd rather not have Airbnbs or people coming in and out of the neighborhood," citing the dead-end character of the street and the presence of families and older residents. Ellie Campbell, also an adjacent neighbor, said parking is already an issue and warned that short-term rentals would increase traffic and uncertainty about who is in the neighborhood.
Several commissioners raised procedural and policy concerns. Commissioner Pauley said the applicant had not attended the neighborhood meeting and had failed to list other properties, calling that lack of professionalism a ‘‘red flag.’’ Commissioner Knuckles said the volume of neighbors opposing the request weighed against approval despite the applicant's assurances about screening and maintenance. Commissioner Gunther noted there are enforcement mechanisms but still said she would vote for approval; others disagreed.
Staff and planning staff clarified enforcement: the planning/building director has authority under the code to suspend or revoke STR permits for violations of the city's short-term rental requirements, zoning, building codes, noise or nuisance ordinances. Planning staff also noted that if a permit were revoked, the operator could be barred from reapplying for 12 months; a denied appeal, however, allows the applicant to reapply immediately through the normal process.
After deliberation the commission voted; the chair announced, "That appeal is denied." Commissioners who spoke against the request cited the number of adjacent objections, owner absence at the neighborhood meeting, and potential negative impacts on neighborhood character. The denial is final to the Planning & Zoning Commission but does not prevent the applicant from filing a new application in the future.
What happens next: the applicant may file a new application and go through the neighborhood notification and permitting process again. If a permit were issued and subsequent code violations occur, the planning director could pursue suspension or revocation and, after revocation, the applicant would face a 12-month bar on reapplying for that permit.
